Ball-bearing wheel.



PATENTED JUNE 16, 1908.

W. SPARKS. BALLBEARING WHEEL. APPLICATION FILED 1130.11, 1907.

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abtozmu UNITED sTArEs PATENT OFFIOE.

WILLIAM SPARKS, OF JACKSON, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO GEORGE A. McKEEL &COMPANY,

. LIMITED, OF JACKSON, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN.

BALL-BEARING WHEEL.

. I Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 1c, 1908.

Application filed December 11, 1907. Serial No. 406,013.

son, in the county of Jackson, State of Michi-' gan, have invented acertain new and useful Improvement in Ball-Bearing Wheels, and dec arethe following to be a full, clear, and

exact description of the same, such as will enable others skilled in theart M) which it pertains to make and use the same, reference bein had tothe accompanying drawings, whic form a part of. this specification.

My invention-relates to an improvement in ball bearing wheels shown inthe accompanying drawings and more particularly pointed out in theclaims.

The object of this invention is to provide means whereby the ordinarytype of cone bearings employedfor vehicle wheels may be readily andcheaply transformed into, a ball bearin wheel without changing the formof the ax e and bythe use of a minimum number of parts. i

In the drawings accompanying this specification: Figure 1 is a lonitudinal section through the hub of a vehic e wheel showing the spokesbroken away and the axle in position. Fig. 2 is a central longitudinalsection through an encircling collar secured to the axle in which isafterwards fitted a ball ,cup.- Fig. 3 is an end elevation of thecollar.

- Fig. 4 is a sectional view throughthe ball cup in Fig. 2.

adapted-to be housed within the collar shown thimble mounted on theouter end of the axle having right and left outer threaded portions. IReferringnow to the letters of reference shown upon the drawings: Adenotes an ordinary cone shaped axle bearing provided at its outer endwlth a screw-threaded portion- A, and at the opposite end. with theenlarged portion forming a shoulder A? common to this type of bearing. Bis a sleeveprovided with cone-shaped ends, loosely encircling the axle,O is a- O are the s okes. Y D is a thimb e engaged to the screw-threadedend of the axle and having right and left wooden hub to which the sleeveB is secured.

. screw-threaded portions formed on its outer face.

E is a ball cup mounted on the outer end of the other Fig. 5-is asideelevation of a' the axle and having a screw-threaded en a pluralityof balls housed within the cup E.

is .a split ring ball retainer supported in I F a groove formed in theball cup. 2 is a similar ring spaced apart from the ring F, betweenwhich is lodged a dust ring orcollar G.

H is a cap nut having an engagement with ble D;

' I isan annular collar secured to the axle cone by a driving fit, itsrear wall being forced into abutting contact with the shoulder A formedon the axle.

J is a .ball cup of hardened metal housed within the collar I.

K denotes a plurality of balls contained Within the ball cup J, beingheld in position by the ball retainer K";

K is an annular ring projecting from a groove formed in the cup J tosupport it, between which, and the ball retainer K is lodged a felt ringor dust guard L.

' Having indicated the several parts by the reference letters placedupon the drawings,

the operation of said parts will be readily un-' 'ders'tood. The collarI containing the ball cup e tc., is first engaged tothe axle cone by adriving -fit,+-the rear wall of the collar being brought intoabuttingcontact with the shoulscrew-threaded portion of the thimq der A as shownin the drawing. The thim- I ble D having been screwed'nipon the outerend of the axle, the hub is slipped in position over, theaxle The ballcup E is then engaged with the thimble and screw-ed up until the'ballsin the inner and outer cup are brought into proper rolling contact withthe cone-shaped endsof the sleeve B. The cap His then screwed intoposition upon the thimble its inner face bearing upon the end ofthe'ball cup E as shown in the drawing.

It will be seen that the threaded portion by which the cup isengaged tothe thimble and that by which the cap nut is engaged having been cut inopposite directions, the

cap nut serves to effectually lock the ball'cup [against turning on thethimble'due to the action or movement of the wheel,as Wlll readily beunderstood, [The construction .shown'thus provides a simple and ready,

means for reconstructing the old and well known form of cone axlebearings into that 0 the ball bearing type.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is I 1. In a vehiclewheel bearing, a hub, a sleeve having a cone-shaped end housed withinand secured to the hub, anaxle, a

thinible mounted on the end of the axle havannular hall cup engaging oneof said screwthreaded portions of the thimble, a plurality of ballshoused within the cup, a pair of rings spaced apart supported in groovesformed in the ball cup, a collar lodged between said rings, and a nutengaging the other screw threaded portion of the thimble and designed tobear against the end of the ball cup.

3. In a vehicle wheel bearing, a hub, a sleeve provided with a-cone-shaped end housed within and secured to the hub, an

axle, a thirnble mounted on the end of the axle having right and leftscrew-threaded portions formed on its outer face, an annular ball cupengaging one of said screw-threaded portions of the thirnble, aplurality of balls I housed within the cup, contacting with the end of'the sleeve, and a nut engaging the other screw-threaded portion of thethimble and designed to bear against the end of the ball cup.

4. In a vehicle wheel bearing, a hub, a sleeve provided with cone-shapedends inclosed within and secured to the hub, an axle cone, a thiniblemounted on the end of the axle having right and left screw-threadedportions formed on its outer face, an annular all cup engaging one ofsaid screw-threaded portions of the thimble, a plurality of balls housedwithin the cup, a nut engaging the other screw-threaded portion of thethimble and designed to bear against the end of the cup, a collarsleeved on the axle cone at the inner end of the bearing having anannular channel surrounding the axle adapted to support a plurality ofballs, and balls housed within the collar and contacting with the innerend of the sleeve In testimony whereof, I sign this specification in thepresence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM SPARKS.

Witnesses:

C. E. FELLows, I AILLIAN VVUNDERLICH.

